Change of Track for 'Mihai Flamaropol' Ice Rink: Sector 2 Mayor's Office to Fully Take Over Contract from Capital City Hall

The Sector 2 Mayor's Office in Bucharest is seeking to fully assume responsibility for the reconstruction of the "Mihai Flamaropol" ice rink, citing dissatisfaction with the project's slow pace. Mayor Rareș Hopincă stated that the Capital City Hall's contract with the construction firm Concelex, signed in September 2024, has seen sluggish progress since work commenced in August 2025.

Nearly a decade after the original arena's demolition, the project remains without a clear timeline for completion. The "Mihai Flamaropol" ice rink, originally opened in 1958, was closed in 2013 due to structural concerns about its roof. In 2016, the entire structure was demolished to make way for a modern facility.

The reconstruction has been plagued by delays since its inception. An initial contract signed in June 2015 with an association including SC UTI Grup SA and Astaldi Spa, valued at approximately 108 million lei (excluding VAT), was terminated in 2019 by the administration led by Gabriela Firea. At that point, the project was only about 35% complete.

A new technical assessment was finalized at the end of 2022, during Nicușor Dan's tenure. The Capital City Hall then relaunched the procurement process. A new contract was awarded in September 2024 to Concelex for 128.9 million lei (excluding VAT), with a 24-month execution period, including four months for design. The planned arena will feature 3,661 seats, an international-standard ice surface (60x30 meters), and a multifunctional sports center for approximately 800 people, including a basketball court, a semi-Olympic pool, fitness areas, climbing walls, and an indoor skate park.

Despite the new contract and the agreement between the Capital City Hall and Sector 2 Mayor's Office to share costs, work only began in August 2025 and was expected to be completed by early next year. However, new delays have pushed the inauguration further into the future. The Capital City Hall explained that the prolonged abandonment of the site required extensive cleaning and preparation before construction could resume.